What is Spotify Discovery Mode?
Spotify Discovery Mode is a feature within the Spotify advertising platform that allows artists and labels to promote their music to a wider audience by increasing the frequency and reach of their tracks on the platform's radio and autoplay features.
With Discovery Mode, artists can pay to have their songs played more often to users who are likely to enjoy their music, based on their listening habits and preferences. This helps artists to connect with new fans and increase their visibility on the platform.
Discovery Mode is available directly in Spotify for Artists for eligible artists that distribute songs through participating distributors. But is it the best way to promote your music on Spotify?
How good is Spotify Discovery Mode?
The Spotify Discovery Mode, now available to all artists, was first tested with a select group of musicians who reportedly saw impressive results. On average, users who utilize the Discovery Mode are twice as likely to save songs, 44% more likely to playlist the artists, and 37% more likely to follow that artist. Despite these positive outcomes, the reduced royalties offered through the tool have been a source of controversy. At 30% less than standard royalties, some artists feel undervalued for providing all the content. However, Spotify maintains that the Discovery Mode provides invaluable opportunities to connect with new listeners, and requires no upfront investment unlike many other forms of promotion.
Musicians can enter their tracks into Discovery Mode through Spotify for Artists, provided their distributors participate in the program. Joe Hadley, the head of artist partnerships and audience at Spotify, is optimistic about the new possibilities the tool can offer independent artists. However, not everyone shares this optimism. Members of Congress have referred to the Discovery Mode as a digital form of Payola, a term used to describe the music industry middlemen who pay for radio play. One of the biggest concerns regarding the tool is the potential dam that the lower royalty rates may create in the flow of cash from Spotify to songwriters.
In conclusion, while the Spotify Discovery Mode has shown impressive results in terms of engagement from users, the reduced royalties have sparked controversy and criticism. The tool offers new opportunities for independent artists to connect with listeners, but some argue that it may perpetuate existing power imbalances in the music industry. As the tool continues to be utilized by artists and evaluated by the music community, it remains to be seen whether the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
Is Spotify Discovery a good fit for me?
If you're willing to accept a lower royalty rate, you can launch a Discovery Mode campaign by logging into Spotify for Artists, navigating to the campaigns page, and selecting Discovery Mode. Once there, you can establish a campaign lasting one month. Note that new campaigns must be initiated between the 11th and last day of the month. After selecting the desired tracks for your campaign, simply submit them for consideration.
It's important to note that not all tracks are eligible for the Discovery Mode campaign. To qualify, your track must be distributed by a participating licensor (such as CD Baby, DistroKid, Venice Music, Stem, or Vydia), have been streamed on Auto Play within the last seven days, and have been available on Spotify for at least 30 days.
It's crucial to understand that Discovery Mode is primarily a way for artists to signal to Spotify which tracks are a promotional priority. This signal then feeds into Spotify's algorithms, which work to personalize listening experiences for premium subscribers. While creating a Discovery Mode campaign can increase the likelihood of your tracks being recommended, it is not a guarantee that your streaming stats will dramatically increase.
Alternatives to Spotify Discovery Mode
While Spotify Discovery mode seems like a cost-effective way to promote your music, it's not the best option for artists that want to grow their audience fast and organically. A far more effective way is Spotify Playlist pitching. It's one of our most ordered Spotify promotion services. Here's what our Playlist pitching service can do for you:
After you enroll in our Spotify promotion service, our team will review your track for quality. Within 48 hours, we'll listen to your track and inform you if it has been approved or rejected.
Upon approval, we will pitch your track to our network of Spotify curators. We'll keep you updated on the status of your placements, notifying you of any approvals or declines we receive.
As the promotion progresses, our team will provide you with regular updates via a Google Spreadsheet, including links to all playlists and the number of followers for each one. The time it takes for your promotion to begin will depend on several factors, including the size of your campaign, the response time of the curators, and the number of approvals or rejections your track receives. While the process typically takes one business day to a week, it may take longer, and we will notify you if that is the case.
Interested in what Tracks To The Max can do for you? Check out our Spotify Promotion Services.